


Court of Dragons

by ManWhoIsCrying



Category: Zoids
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-04
Updated: 2016-07-06
Packaged: 2018-07-21 14:54:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7391725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManWhoIsCrying/pseuds/ManWhoIsCrying
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the Great Calamity, the world became uninhabitable. The survivors fled to the sky, creating a paradise where man and machine could thrive. Decades after, a massive group of people descended from the Sky and, with the aid of the Generators, began rebuilding their once great nations. </p><p>Set in year 20XX, tensions are rising between Land and Sky, and when Zi’s hidden past refuses to be a secret any longer, an uncertain future looms on the horizon for the human race.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is... based on a dream.

‘Oh yeah, just find Deochalcite in the desert,’ Lewis grumbled. ‘It’s that easy.’

He was annoyed beyond belief. His bosses told him specifically to go to the desert and find the “Deochalcite”. Which got him thinking, according to ancient texts, this Deochalcite, an incredibly rare ore, no longer existed after the Dark Continent sunk. Why then, was his company so interested in it all of a sudden? How do you mean to find that which no longer exists?

Then again, stranger things had happened. After all, the Sky people managed to revive zoids long thought gone, so amazing was their technology. He remembered the Zeekdober that visited his village once, its armour pearl white and radiant, a mighty sight of technological prowess.

That the Sky people could revive the ancient zoids made him wonder if perhaps, Deochalcite still existed somewhere in trace amounts. Finding something so precious would make his bosses rich beyond belief, without a doubt.

He sighed and paused, taking a look around the wasteland. All he knew about Deochalcite is from what his bosses shown him. He’d seen texts and images of it; it was an ore darker than black. There were plenty of dark ores that mimicked it though. How was he meant to tell them apart? “Darker than black” did not make a good description.

Cursing under his breath, he pushed the controls forward. Creaks and groans escaped his zoid’s joints, forcing him to stop. His Heldigunner had been playing up all day. She was an old zoid, with little life left in her. That didn’t stop the higher ups from assigning him this ill-fated mission, however.

‘Come on,’ he said to her. ‘We have to find this ore. Then we can rest.’

A low rumble escaped his zoid, as if she were purring.

‘That’s a girl. Just hang on. I promise I’ll—’

He saw something in the corner of his eyes. He peered around again, only to find nothing.

Then the sands shifted.

_Oh shit._

He slammed the controls forward. His Heldigunner whined and croaked, the joints not working properly. She could barely move, let alone lift her legs up. ‘Come on, we gotta—’

The sands burst before him, and a massive scorpion zoid jumped over him, landing at his backside. It stared at his Heldigunner with its cyclopean eye. Then more emerged from the sands, shrieking and whistling, waving their pincers menacingly.

They looked like a horrible fusion between a Guylos and a Death Stinger, with silver and maroon armour.

‘Oh shit shit shit.’

His Heldigunner was in no condition to fight, let alone battle against a horde of scorpions ready to tear her apart. Sweat beaded from his brow as he glanced around.

‘Oh my…’ a deep, throaty voice rumbled, ‘look at what my beauties found.’

The sand shifted again, and then arose the mother of the horde. Though she sported the same colour as her underlings, she looked nothing alike them. Dangerous guns sat on her back and stinger, and her pincers looked like they could tear through any armour.

A Death Stinger.

His face went white. He was staring face to face with a Death Stinger.

‘Ain’t no one dumb enough to come to the desert,’ said the pilot, ‘ain’t no one dumb enough to even entertain the thought.’

‘Tell that to my bosses.’ said Lewis.

‘Oh, I will,’ he replied. ‘With your head.’

The smaller scorpions whistled and skittered closer, pincers now clacking.

‘Hey!’ a sharp, feminine voice rang through the intercom. ‘Stop bullying him. Can’t you see he’s got anxiety?’

All the scorpions turned to the source of the voice, him included. Standing on a rocky outcrop was a black Rev Raptor. The raptor zoid hissed and jumped down, rushing over to the scene. Some of the smaller scorpions backed away from it.

‘Oh,’ said the Death Stinger’s pilot. ‘I didn’t know. Okay, sorry.’

Just like that, one by one, the scorpions began submerging. ‘Just a lesson though, kiddo. Don’t ever come to the desert again. My beauties love tearing living things apart. It’s a bad habit.’

The Death Stinger submerged, leaving him with the new stranger. The Rev Raptor crept down and the cockpit opened. Jumping out was a young girl with eerily pale skin. She had long black hair with far too many braids.. She wore a white blouse, a black jacket that had laced ribbon down the sleeves. Her skirt, same colour as her jacket, was tiered with white lacing. Her legs were covered in thigh high stockings, with dark, heeled shoes.

He opened his cockpit and jumped out, making his way over to her. ‘Hey, why did you—’

He slapped his hands over his mouth to stop himself gasping Her eyes. They were red. A fierce, burning red.

‘What’s the matter?’ she asked. ‘Is it my eyes?’

He let his hands fall and looked away. Well, this was embarrassing.

‘I can read minds.’

‘Really?’

‘Nah. Would that be messed up or what though?’

‘Uh… I guess.’

‘Anyways!’ she said, crossing her hands in front of her. ‘The name’s Alice, and now that I helped you, you have to help me! That’s how it works, right?’

‘No?’

‘I’m so glad to have you on board. See, I need to find this book. It’s called the Book of Secrets. I really, really need it. Please find it for me.’

‘No offence, but—’

She pouted. ‘You won’t help me?’

‘I’m sorry, but, I kind of need to go back home.’

‘I’ll give you my Raven Raptor.’

‘Deal.’

‘Wow,’ she said, ‘what happened to needing to go back home?’

‘Free zoid.’ Lewis replied.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> he fucking dies dude

‘Snowdrop!’ Alice called. There was a moment of silence. Alice called out once more, sounding annoyed. Again, silence. Then a beam of energy shot out of the Raven Raptor’s back, arcing as it hit the ground, transforming into a miniature, cat-like zoid next to her. Its metal was an icy white, and it looked at him with glassy, cobalt eyes.

He stared at it. Really stared at it. Something was telling him he should know what it is, and he tried to recall why. Perhaps something he saw and read? Nah, it had to have been something he read. Slowly, his mind began to work. Something he read… Yes, he remembered now reading something about “miniature zoids with the power to fuse with zoids, heighten their capabilities, and even evolve them”.

These specialised zoids had a name. It was on the tip of his tongue, and yet he couldn‘t remember. It began with an O though. O… Or… Organoid! Then it all clicked into place.

He was looking at an organoid. Even if history said otherwise, no one thought organoids actually existed; they hadn’t been seen for centuries. And yet here he was, staring at the real deal.

‘So,’ said Alice, breaking him out of his thoughts, ‘you’re absolutely going to help me, right?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Then do be careful. Once you pilot Raven, you are officially marked.’

His eyes widened. ‘What?!’

A grin formed on her face, cruel and crooked. ‘By the Red Knight, of course. He’s a jealous lover. Very, very jealous and horrible. Why, I’d say by meeting me here, you’re already marked.’

What the fuck? He thought. She only looked to be in her teens. The Red Knight sounded anything but. Why was some creepy man pursuing her? Ugh. The thought of it made his stomach turn, and by meeting her here he was now ‘marked’? Marked for what, exactly?’

‘Well then!’ she clapped her hands together. ‘The Book lies beyond the mountains. I do wish you luck. We’re going to make history together, you and me!’

She climbed onto Snowdrop’s back. The organoid let out a robotic mrrrau and darted off, leaving him all alone in the desert, with the sun hanging low.

Lewis took one look at his Heldigunner, then at the Raven Raptor, before shrugging.

 

\---

A week had passed since the chance meeting with Alice. During that time, he visited a small village to gather up on provisions, then set for the Forest of Giants. He expected Raven’s cockpit to be all cramped, given the zoids diminutive size, thankfully it was spacey, with a unique feature - an interactive map. 

It helped him somewhat for the journey. Alice’s vague wording didn’t inspire much confidence in him however. “Go beyond the mountains?” Sure, no problem. But where should he go to begin his search?

Ugh. Trying to think about it made his head hurt. He could do thinking once he climbed the mountains. For now, it was trying to pass through the ominously named forest.

Massive conifers loomed over Raven as he walked through the forest. Gloomy clouds began to darken the sky, allowing the shadows to reach long and creep along the forest floor. Mist began seeping in through the woods.

It was a very unsettling place, to the say the least. Lewis started to regret his decision. Maybe he should turn back and call it a day.

‘No, calm down,’ he said to himself. ‘I know it’s called the Forest of Giants for a reason, but like, there’s nothing here that can kill me, right?’ 

The forest probably got its name because of the massive trees. It’s not like there were any wild Elephanders out there, watching his every movement, right?

He slammed the controls forward. Raven let out a hiss and took off. He had no intention of lingering here any longer. He needed to reach the mountains as soon as possible.

‘Come on,’ he groaned. ‘Can’t you go any faster?’

Raven let out a low growl.

‘Wow, okay.’

The shadows flickered. He jammed the controls, forcing Raven to stop. The forest was unusually quiet. Then, the sound of metal meeting earth resounded throughout the trees. Shapes danced around him, a blur of silver and blue. Raven growled and hissed, as if issuing a challenge to the shapes.

A Unenlagia burst through the foliage, screaming wildly. More Unenlagia followed, growling as they surrounded him. Well, shit. This was awfully familiar… He glanced around. There were too many of them. He couldn’t possibly fight them off. Not with a Raven Raptor. These raptor-types made shitty zoids.

Gripping the controls tightly, he clenched his jaw. No. He couldn’t fight them. But he could try and outrun them. He was about to press his controls forward when a low, metallic purring came behind him.

He froze. The Unenlagia froze as well. Something was behind him. Swallowing thickly, he dared a look. He gasped. Loudly.

Behind him was a Liger-type zoid in maroon and silver armour. Protruding from its head was a horn, with a crest sitting on top of its mane. A pair of massive cylinders rested at its nape with tubes coming out of their sides, wiring around its body, entering the armaments on its front legs, one which looked like a double-barrelled weapon with the other resembling a gatling gun.

The damn thing was fucking huge though. He’d never seen a Liger like this one. It was so bulky, and so, so huge. The Unenlagia shrieked and ran off back into the forest. Raven took uneasy steps away from the monster.

The Liger turned its head towards him, crimson eyes glowering. A voice called out to him, smooth and baritone. ‘Alice?’

It began approaching him. ‘Finally, I’ve found you. Do you know how long I’ve been fucking looking?’

Wait.

He knew Alice. His zoid sported red.

Oh fuck.

Was this the Red Knight?

Oh fuck, times two.

He wheeled Raven around and pushed the controls forward, as far as they could go. Raven darted off.

‘What the—’

Lewis briefly looked back. That Liger had such thick armouring, surely it couldn’t keep up with him?

‘Stop!’

He looked back again. The zoid was right on his tail. How the hell was that possible? The damn thing looked like a tank! It jumped over him, and Lewis screamed like a little girl, braking forcefully. Raven hissed and skidded to a halt. The Liger lifted one of its silver paws and smacked Raven across the head. The raptor roared as it crashed onto its side.

Lewis cried out as he was thrown against the cockpit. The liger placed another paw on Raven’s neck, its head now dangerously close to the canopy.

‘What have you done with Alice?’

Lewis winced. Pain coursed through his body. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed the controls and slowly lifted himself back into the chair.

‘Answer me, damn you.’

‘Why don’t you leave her alone, you damn creep?’

He heard the facepalm through the comm. ‘Oh for goodness… okay, what the fuck did she say about me?’

‘Why the hell should I answer?’ said Lewis. ‘Please, just leave me alone.’

‘No!’ the Red Knight snapped. ‘Tell me. Tell me what she said. Tell me everything. Tell me why she gave you that zoid.’

 _You totally sound like a creep._ Lewis thought.

‘I’m not going to answer.’

‘Then we’re going to stay here all day.’

‘Are you seriously that petty?’ Lewis asked.

‘Yes.’

Great. He had no choice. Rolling his eyes, he said: ‘She pretty much told me you’re perverted beyond belief.’

There was loads of sputtering and attempts to find and form words over the comm. Finally, he replied. ‘What the fuck? I’m her brother.’

‘Oh…’ was all Lewis could say.

‘I have no idea why she’s like this. I promise. Whatever she said about me, it simply isn’t true. No fucking way. That doesn’t explain the zoid though. Why do you have her zoid?’

‘You know, you say fuck a lot,’ said Lewis. ‘You can stop saying it, you know that, right? It’s okay.’

‘Shut the fuck up and answer my question.’

‘She gave it to me.’

There was a moment of silence, but Lewis could feel the Red Knight’s brain frying from sheer rage. Then, the Liger let go of Raven and sat down.

‘Unbelievable,’ the Red Knight muttered, ‘and yet I should’ve expected this. I swear, she literally gets a kick off doing stupid shit.’

Lewis took this moment to rear Raven back onto his feet again. The zoid was shaky, Lewis could feel his fear.

‘Hey…’ Lewis said. ‘It’s okay. We’re not in danger anymore. I think.’

His words didn’t help. He needed to get away from the Red Knight. As far as possible.

‘Well, I have to go now. Bye.’

The Liger stood up. ‘No. You’re going nowhere. You didn’t defend yourself against those Unenlagia. Why?’

‘Isn’t that obvious?’ said Lewis. ‘There were too many. My zoid wouldn’t be able to handle them all.’

‘Because you don’t know how to defend yourself.’

Lewis cocked a brow up. Uh. What? He was capable of putting up a fight! He’d done it plenty of times in his old Heldigunner. Particularly that one time against a Dark Horn. He completely, and totally annihilated that zoid.

Then he remembered the friends who saved him from that predicament with their Shield Ligers. They’re the ones who destroyed that Dark Horn, not he.

Lewis realised it now. All on his own, he was as useless as a Molga against a Liger Zero. There was truth to what the knight was saying. However, he couldn’t afford to linger around anymore. He’d already wasted so much time as is. The mountains beckoned.

‘I’m sorry,’ said Lewis. ‘I really have to—’

‘You’re going nowhere. Not until you know how to defend yourself. Why, I’ll be your teacher.’

Oh fuck, times three.


End file.
